WA: Albany to trial autism alert card

Saskia Adysti

Albany will be the first town in Australia to trial an autism alert card.

The card will help authorities and emergency service providers to better understand people with autistic behaviour, as most patients find it difficult to communicate with others about their disability, particularly during an emergency.

The card will also have two emergency contact numbers of the card holder.

Great Southern Police District Superintendent Dominic Wood said the card would provide better security to those with autism.

“I know how difficult it is for our police officers to deal with people that might come across as potentially threatening,” he said.

“It might make the police officers suspicious when it’s really just the condition of the person.”

Supt Wood understand the situation not only from a police perspective, but also from a parent’s perspective whose children suffer with autism.

“I have a son that’s on the autism spectrum,” he said.

“So from a family and parents perspective I understand the difficulty not only from the individual – but also the stress that’s involves as a parent.

“It has been a difficult journey and often a difficult thing to manage at times.”

Supt Wood said he had done his research pointing to the cards success rate in the United Kingdom.

The autism alert card trial is a joint project from Great Southern Police District, local Disability Services and Autism Support Network Albany.

To apply for the card please contact your local Autism Support Network Albany directly or online.